Healthy Tastes Good

Special Honey Chicken

2007-01-31T10:24:00.000-08:00

1 small chicken breast
1 teaspoon ground onion
½ cup chicken broth
¼ cup soy sauce
1 teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon ground pepper
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon honey

Start at least 5 and a half hours before serving.
Cut the chicken in three equal parts. Set aside.
Combine all the ingredients from the ground onion until the sugar. Stir well. In a bag or small container, mix half of it with the chicken. Put the rest in another bag or container, and put them both in the refrigerator for at least 5 hours.
Set the oven at high heat. Cook the chicken in a non-stick pan, adding the remaining marinade from time to time. When the chicken is brown, remove from heat.
With a brush, glaze the chicken with honey and serve.
Makes one serving.

Aprox. Nutritional Information Per Serving
Calories…………………….378
Fat………………………..….5
Carbohydrates………......32
Protein……………………...50

Super Piña Colada

2006-12-25T15:04:00.000-08:00

I personally love Piña Colada... Too bad it's so high in calories, about 500 calories per small serving. Luckily, you can make a great tasting, reasonably low-calorie one at home, that has half of those calories and is so huge you can even share it, cutting by half the calories again! Just follow these steps:

Super Piña Colada

Ingredients
1 cup canned pineapple, unsweetened
1/2 cup low-fat vanilla ice cream
2 tablespoons coconut milk
2 individual packets Splenda
1 cup ice
1 cup water

Put all the ingredients in a blender.
Blend until smooth and serve.
Makes one huge serving.

Aprox Nutritional Information Per Serving
Calories..........................................................265
Fat....................................................................10
Carbohydrates.............................................42
Protein............................................................5

Bay Chicken and Rice

2006-12-16T12:46:00.000-08:00

Bay Chicken and Rice

Ingredients
7 ounces chicken breast, precooked, cut in strips
3/4 cup brown rice
1 medium onion, chopped
½ red bell pepper, chopped
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon oil
½ teaspoon bay powder (made from bay leaf)
1 tablespoon flour
½ cup tomato sauce
1 medium tomato, chopped

Preheat oil in a non-stick skillet. After 30 seconds, add the onion and the red bell pepper. Sauté until browned. Remove excess oil, and set the vegetables aside.
Meanwhile, cook the rice in a sauce pan.
When it is cooked (taste it after 10 minutes, and every minute after that), add the sautéed vegetables and the remaining ingredients. Cook until the sauce thickens.
Remove from the heat and serve.
Makes 2 servings.

Aprox. Nutritional Information per Serving
Calories…………………….370
Fat………………………….6
Carbohydrates……………...53
Protein……………………...26

Goat Cheese and Chicken Salad

2006-10-29T17:41:00.000-08:00

Goat Cheese and Chicken Salad

Ingredients for salad
-1 cup mixed vegetables (lettuce, carrots, tomatoes, onions, your choice!)
-1/2 medium chicken breast, cooked
-1 and 1/2 ounces goat cheese, soft, chopped in small squares

Ingredients for dressing
-1 tablespoon mustard
-1/2 tablespoon honey
-1/2 tablespoon of your favorite vinegar or lemon juice
-A bit of garlic powder

Mix all the ingredients for the dressing. With a spoon, stir well. Set aside.
In a bowl, put all the ingredients for the salad. Add the dressing and mix it well.
Makes one huge serving.

Aprox. Nutritional Information per Serving
Calories……………………………..338
Fat…………………………………..12.3
Carbohydrates………………………21.9
Protein………………………………36.2

Pumpkin Cream Filled Zucchinis

2006-10-19T10:06:00.000-07:00

Yes, I know I haven't been updating this blog much, but the wait was worth it, I promise. I'm posting what I believe is my best recipe yet: Pumpkin Cream Filled Zucchinis. They are good because they taste great, they're filling, healthy, low-calorie and can be eaten as a snack, a main dish or for the side. I hope you like it!

Pumpkin Cream Filled Zucchinis

Ingredients
4 medium zucchinis
150 grams (about 3/4 cup) of pumpkin
3 tablespoons of low-fat cream cheese (or use same quantity of low-fat cottage cheese)
2 tablespoons of dry grated parmesan cheese
A bit of pepper
A bit of nutmeg
A bit of salt
A bit of garlic powder

Boil water in a sauce pan. Mix it with a vegetable broth cube.
Wash the zucchinis and put them in the sauce pan, set at medium heat. Wait until they are cooked.
When you see they're cooked, take them out of the water and leave them aside, but don't turn off the heat.
Put the pumpkin in the sauce pan and leave them there until they're cooked. Take them out, leave them aside and turn off the heat. Wait until both the zucchini and the pumpkin are warm (not hot, as they were when you took them out).
Cut each zucchini in half. With a teaspoon, take out the part of the seeds of the zucchini and put it in a bowl. Leave the zucchinis aside.
Add all the rest of the ingredients to the bowl and mix well with a fork.
With a teaspoon, fill the zucchinis with the mixture. Then put it in the microwave or the oven until they're hot and serve.
Makes two servings (one serving: 4 zucchini halves)

Aprox. Nutritional Information per Serving
Calories.....................128
Fat.............................4.8
Carbohydrates.........17
Protein......................8.8

Healthy and Yummy Dessert Ideas

2006-10-10T07:58:00.000-07:00

I know how people say that to keep a good figure, you have to give up dessert. Well, that's not necessarily true. The thing is, your dessert has to be healthy, and you don't have to sacrifice flavor for that. Here are a few ideas for a healthy, yummy dessert:

-Mix low-fat yoghurt, small apple pieces and a bit of cereal krispies (I recommend some that have honey). It tastes heavenly!
-If low-calorie, no sugar gelatin bores you, try mixing it with small pieces of fruit or low-fat fruit salad. When you make the gelatin (Jell-O has many healthy flavours), before putting it in the fridge, add some fruit to it. Lemon gelatin with pineapple pieces and cherry gelatin with apple pieces are my special reccomendations.
-Why not make a double-flavour pudding dessert? Buy a JELL-O PUDDING & PIE FILLING INSTANT CHOCOLATE SUGAR FREE & FAT FREE package and a JELL-O PUDDING & PIE FILLING INSTANT VANILLA SUGAR FREE & FAT FREE package. When putting them in small bowls for serving, fill the bowls with half chocolage pudding and half vanilla pudding. It makes a great dessert!

Workout Recommendation

2006-10-03T15:09:00.001-07:00

Hey everyone, I know I haven't been updating much but life has been keeping me busy.

Anyway, I found a link too good not to share. You know that to be healthy, you don't only have to to eat right, but also exercise. I'm the lazy type. And I know there are many times going to the gym isn't too motivating. So, I found my solution when I don't wanna dress in gym clothes and go there. At Women Workout Routines, you have some great videos to download and workout at home, in your PJs if you want to! They're totally free. And the website also has some other great information. You better check it out!

Sweet and Sour Chicken and Vegetables

2006-09-21T10:28:00.000-07:00

Sweet and Sour Chicken and Vegetables

1 and 1/2 cup mixed vegetables (I recommend carrots, zuchinni, red bell peppers and bean sprouts)
3/4 cup chopped and cooked chicken (about a medium chicken breast)
1/2 cup boiling water
3 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1/4 cup cold water

Pour the boiling water in a sauce pan and set to medium heat. Add the sugar and stir for a minute.
Now add the cider vinegar and leave it for a minute.
In the meantime, put the cornstarch, the soy sauce and the cold water in a bowl. Stir well and add it to the sauce pan.
Cook for about two minutes, stirring through the process. Add the vegetables.
After about seven minutes (check the vegetables are fully cooked), add the chicken so it absorves a bit of flavour.
Leave it for two minutes and then serve.
Makes 2 servings.

Aprox Nutritional Information per Serving
Calories..........................207
Fat..................................2
Carbohydrates..............29
Protein...........................20

Low-Cal Vanilla Cake

2006-09-13T13:59:00.000-07:00

Low-Cal Vanilla Cake

Ingredients
5 medium eggs
2 teaspoons of sugar substitute, appropiate for baking
10 tablespoons of low-fat milk powder
1 tablespoon baking soda
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
8 tablespoons of no-sugar jam, flavour of your choice

Separate the yolks from the whites (eggs).
Put the egg whites in a bowl and add a bit of salt. Then beat until frothy.
Add the sugar substitute and one of the yolks. Stir well, add another one of the yolks and so on until you've added all the yolks.
Once you've done that, add the vanilla extract. After stirring, add both the milk powder and baking soda. Stir again very well.
In a small cake recipient, pour the mixture and put in the oven at medium hit. It will take around 30 minutes for the cake to be ready, but check every 10 minutes or so. When the cake gets a nice colour, it is ready.
When it is ready, take it out from the oven. With a knife, cut the cake in half, from side to side. Split the two pieces and, with a spoon, add the jam in the bottom-half, well distributed. Put the top half on the bottom half and the cake is ready!
Makes 6 servings

Aprox Nutritional Information Per Serving
Calories.......................................152
Fat...............................................4.8
Carbohydrates...........................17.1
Protein........................................8.9

Low-Fat Soft Chocolate Ice Cream

2006-09-04T16:18:00.000-07:00

Low-Fat Soft Chocolate Ice Cream

Ingredients
5 g of gelatin powder, no sugar added
700 ml of low-fat milk
3 tablespoons of sugar or imitation (works better with sugar, though)
3 tablespoons of Nesquik powder, chocolate flavour (or your favorite brand of that sort)

Dissolve the gelatin with a bit of boiling water, not much since if you use much water, the ice cream will not end up creamy.
In another recipient, pour the milk and add the sugar and Nesquik. Put at medium heat, stirring through the process. With a spoon, try the mix once in a while, and take the mix off the heat when it is warm (never let the milk boil!)
Pour the mix in a metal or glass recipient and put it in the freezer.
Check back every hour or so. When the mix has set, take it out from the freezer and mix it with the food processor. Put it back in the recipient and in the freezer. Do this again 2 more times.
Keep checking back every hour. When it has frozen, it is ready.
Makes 6 servings.

Aprox. Nutritional Information per Serving (3/4 cup)
Calories…………………………….101
Fat………………………………….4
Protein……………………………...6
Carbohydrates………………………9

Chicken Teriyaki with Vegetables (Boiled)

2006-09-02T10:41:00.000-07:00

The alternative to the stir-fried Chicken Teriyaki.

Chicken Teriyaki with Vegetables (Boiled)

Ingredients for the sauce
½ tablespoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons soy sauce
½ tablespoon sugar or imitation
1 tablespoon garlic powder
½ cup chicken broth

Ingredients for the chicken and vegetables
3 ounces of chicken breast, chopped
½ broccoli flowerets
½ cup bean sprouts

To make the sauce:
Mix the soy sauce, sugar, garlic powder, cornstarch and onion powder in a bowl. Stir with a spoon.
Add chicken broth. Stir again.
Leave it on the side and continue to make the whole dish.

To make the dish:
Pour 8 oz of water in a sauce pan. Boil it at high heat.
Add the vegetables and the chicken. When they’re half cooked, add the sauce and continue cooking, stirring with a spoon through the process.
When almost all of the sauce has been absorbed by the chicken and vegetables, remove from heat and serve.

Makes one serving.

Aprox. Nutritional Information
Calories…………………………..201
Fat………………………………..3
Carbohydrates……………………23
Protein……………………………27

Chicken Teriyaki with Vegetables (Stir-Fried)

2006-09-02T10:36:00.000-07:00

When I was in Canada, I went to a Japanese restaurant and tried Chicken Teriyaki. I simply loved it, so I decided to do it at home and share the recipe with you all. You can either stir-fry it or boil it. Each has its pros and cons: the stir-fry tastes more like the original Chicken Teriyaki but it takes longer to cook and it has more calories and over the double of fat than the boiled version. On the other hand, the boiled one has less taste but is easier to make and is very low in calories and fat. It still tastes very good! I personally prefer the boiled one, but I thought I'd share both.

Chicken Teriyaki with Vegetables (Stir-Fried)

Ingredients for the sauce
½ tablespoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon sugar or imitation
½ tablespoon garlic powder
½ cup chicken broth
½ teaspoon pepper

Ingredients for the chicken and vegetables
1 tablespoon oil
3 ounces of chicken breast, chopped
½ broccoli flowerets
½ cup bean sprouts
½ cup carrots, sliced

To make the sauce:
Mix the soy sauce, sugar, garlic powder, cornstarch and onion powder in a sauce pan. Stir with a spoon.
Add chicken broth and pepper. Stir again.
Cook the mixture at a medium heat, stirring through the process. When it has thickened, continue to make the whole dish.

To make the dish:
Heat a frying pan at high heat. Add oil. Put the chicken and vegetables on the pan. Start cooking at high heat, stirring continually and keeping the food moving on the pan.
After just a few seconds, add the sauce to the pan and continue cooking.
When the chicken has turned brown, remove everything from heat and serve.

Makes one serving.

Aprox. Nutritional Information
Calories…………………………..241
Fat………………………………..11
Carbohydrates……………………26
Protein……………………………25

Rice Cakes with Tuna

2006-08-31T15:16:00.000-07:00

Sorry for not updating much, I've been busy and not able to make any recipes. Still, today I came with a healthy snack:

Rice Cakes with Tuna

Ingredients
6 rice cakes
A 6 ounces can of tuna in water
6 tablespoons of low-fat cream cheese

With a knife, put the cream cheese (3/4 tablespoon for each rice cake) in the rice cake uniformily.
Still with the knife, add the tuna (1 ounce for each rice cake) over the cream cheese.
Makes 6 rice cakes.

Aprox Nutritional Information per Rice Cake
Calories...................90
Fat........................2.3
Protein....................8.9
Carbohydrates..............15.8

Kani Kama with Sweet Bean Sprouts and Broccoli

2006-08-27T18:03:00.000-07:00

Kani Kama bars are great tasting and full of nutrients. They are also low in calories and fat, but high in protein. Here's a recipe that is based on them:

Kani Kama with Sweet Bean Sprouts and Broccoli

Ingredients
2 Kani Kama bars
1/2 cup of bean sprouts
1/2 cup of broccoli flowerets
2 tablespoons of mustard
1 teaspoon of sugar or sugar substitute
Salt and pepper to taste

Put 16 oz of water in a sauce pan. Boil the water and add the bean sprouts and broccoli.
Wait 5 minutes until you add the mustard, sugar, salt and pepper. After that, wait for 10 minutes.
Cut the kani kama bars in small pieces. After the 10 minutes have passed, add the and wait 2 minutes. Serve and enjoy!
Makes one serving.

Aprox Nutritional Information per Serving (if using sugar)
Calories............................142
Fat.................................2.6
Carbohydrates.......................17.8
Proteins............................13.7

Coffee Latte

2006-08-26T12:32:00.000-07:00

I’m finally back! So I’m back with a new recipe. While I was in Toronto, I tried many new, exciting things so I’m going to try and post some healthy recipes for them. I’m going to start with my biggest addiction when I was there: Starbucks Coffee Frapuccino. I changed a couple of ingredients but tried to get a similar taste. I made a latte because my mixer is not working well, but you can make a frapuccino with the same recipe, only changing a few things (detailed in the recipe). Hope you like!

Coffee Latte

Ingredients
2 teaspoons of instant coffee powder
8 fl oz of water
8 fl oz of skim milk
½ teaspoon of cocoa powder (a good choice is Nesquick)
2 individual packets of artificial sweetener (my favorite choice is Sweet N Low)
5 ice cubes

Boil the 8 fl oz of water and pour it in a coffee mug or big glass.
Add 2 teaspoons of instant coffee powder, ½ teaspoon of cocoa powder and 1 of the individual packets of artificial sweetener. Mix well with a spoon.
Put the recipient in your refrigerator for 15 minutes. Take it out and add the 8 fl oz of skim milk and the other individual packet of artificial sweetener. Mix well.
If you're making a latte: Add 8 ice cubes and wait for a minute until you drink it.
If you're making a frapuccino: Add 8 ice cubes and pour everything in a mixer. Mix well and serve.
Makes one serving of 16 fl oz.

Aprox Nutritional Information per Serving
Calories………………………108
Fat……………………………0.7
Carbohydrates………………..15.9
Proteins………………………9.2

No Updates

2006-08-09T05:40:00.000-07:00

There will be no updates from August 9 (today) to August 26, since I will be on a trip in Canada. Wish me luck!

Veggie Pita

2006-08-08T10:16:00.000-07:00

It is honestly the best tasting recipe I created. It's also very filling too! And low in calories and fat. Hope you like it as much as I do!

Veggie Pita

1 medium pita
15 grams of mozarella
1/4 cup of tomato sauce
1 ring red bell pepper, chopped
1/4 onion
1/4 cup cooked spinach

Pour the tomato sauce in a sauce pan. Add the bell pepper and the onion. Cook for 5 minutes at low heat.
Put with a spoon half of the content of the sauce pan on the pita. Then add the spinach, and put the rest of the content of the sauce pan.
Cut the mozarella in small pieces and add them to the pita. Put it on the microwave for 50 seconds (so the cheese melts) and serve.
Makes one serving.

Aprox. Nutritional Information per Serving
Calories................201
Fat.....................4.7
Carbohydrates...........32
Protein.................9.8

Spinach - Health in its Purest Form

2006-08-07T12:20:00.000-07:00

Spinach may be one of the healthiest foods you'll be able to find. It is a great source of fiber, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Calcium, Iron and various anti-oxidants. It also has NO fat! So what are you waiting to have that cup of spinach?

Always prefer fresh spinach over canned or frozen, since it has more nutrients (some of them are lost during the freezing process).

Don't know how to add spinach to your diet? Check back tomorrow for a recipe that includes spinach: Vegetable Pita.

Brown Rice with Vegetables and Chicken

2006-08-05T18:47:00.000-07:00

Sorry no picture today! This recipe has great taste and it really fills you up. You should start with the rice and the sauce and move on to the chicken after doing step 2. When you finish with the chicken, move on to step 3 of the rice and sauce.

Ingredients
-1 onion, chopped
-1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
-1 cup of brown rice
-1/2 chicken breast
-1/2 cup of tomato sauce
-1 tablespoon of cornoil
-1 garlic clove
-2 cubes of chicken broth

To make the chicken
1-Fill a sauce pan with water, making it half full, and add one of the cubes of chicken broth.
2-Heat the water. When the water boils, add the chicken.
3-It will take around 15 minutes for it to be fully cooked. When it has, take the chicken out of the water and chop it in small pieces.

To make the rice and sauce
1-Put the onion, bell pepper and garlic in a sauce pan. Add the corn oil, one of the cubes of chicken broth and pepper to taste. Saute the vegetables at low-heat.
2-After 5 minutes, when the vegetables are cooked (the onion will turn see-through), add the rice. Add 32 fluid ounces of hot water. After a minute, add the tomato sauce.
3-It will take around 20 minutes for the rice to absorve the water. When it has, add the cooked chicken and serve.

Makes 4 servings.

Aprox. Nutritional Information Per Serving
Calories..........................255
Fat...................................5.7
Carbohydrates...............39
Protein.........................11.7
Fiber...............................3.7

Are they really the ones to blame?

2006-08-04T14:25:00.000-07:00

Obesity is a big problem in many countries of the world. We like to blame the fast-food places for it, but are they really the ones that should be blamed? This article from the New York Times shows that, even though there are some healthier fast food choices available, we continue to choose the worst ones. Is it really the fast-food chain's fault if they release a healthy menu (like the one the article mentions about Wendy's) and yet we skip it and buy the Double Cheeseburger with large fries and soda?

Saucy Spaghetti with Beef

2006-08-03T10:51:00.000-07:00

Saucy Spaguetti with Beef

Ingredients
1/2 onion, chopped
1/4 red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 tablespoon of corn oil
2 small tomatoes, chopped without skin
1 tablespoon of tomato sauce
5 oz (140 grams) of raw lean beef
8 oz (230 grams or 1 and 2/3 cups) of uncooked whole-wheat spaguetti
1 small cube of vegetable broth
Pepper to taste

To make the sauce
Put the onion and the bell pepper in a sauce pan. Add the corn oil, the vegetable broth and pepper to taste. Saute the vegetables at low-heat.
Meanwhile, cut the beef in small cubes. When the onion turns see-through (which means it is cooked), add the beef to the sauce pan.
When the beef is almost cooked (it has a soft brown color), add the tomato to the sauce pan. Leave until the beef is full-cooked and add the tomato sauce. Wait until the sauce boils and then turn off the heat.

To make the spaghetti
Pour water in a medium over until it is half full and put that water in high-heat with a bit of salt.
When the water boils, add the spaghetti.
Leave for 5 minutes. With a fork, grab a bit of spaghetti and taste it to see if it's cooked. If it isn't, leave a few more seconds and try again.
When the spaghetti is cooked, serve in two dishes. Add the sauce with a spoon.
Makes 2 big servings.

Aprox. Nutritional Information per Serving
Calories.......................321
Fat...................................8
Carbohydrates.............38
Protein..........................22

Low-Fat Strawberry Mousse

2006-08-02T20:41:00.000-07:00

Low-Fat Strawberry Mousse

Ingredients
1 0.6 oz package of JELL-O Gelatin Dessert Sugar Free Strawberry Low Calorie (or other sugar free, low-calorie powder to make gelatin dessert)
32 oz of cold water
14 oz of strawberry flavored low-fat yoghurt
4 teaspoons of artificial sweetener

Heat 16 oz of water until it boils. Meanwhile, put the Gelatin Dessert powder in a large bowl. When the water has boiled, add it to the bowl and whip well with a spoon. Then add another 16 oz of water (this time, cold) and whip well again.
Add all the yoghurt to the bowl and whip until the mixture is soft.
In another bowl, put the egg whites and beat them until frothy. Gradually, add the 4 teaspoons of artificial sweetener until stiff peaks form.
Add the egg mixture to the gelatin mixture and whip slowly with a spoon until you get a soft mixture. Separate in 8 small bowls. Add some slices of strawberry on each one for decoration if you want to.
Put them in the refrigerator and leave them there for 4 hours.
Makes 8 servings.

Aprox. Nutritional Information per Small Bowl
Calories............................73
Fat..................................0.5
Carbohydrates................11
Protein............................3.5

Banana: The Workout Fruit

2006-08-02T09:45:00.001-07:00

Have you noticed how most of the great tennis players, like Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer and David Nalbandian, snack on bananas in the middle of their games? It's no coincidence. The reason why they decide to eat this yummy fruit during their games is because it is one of the best healthy sources for energy. Why is it so healthy? Find out:

-It is well-known for its high potassium. One large banana has 602 mg! Potassium maintains fluid and electrolyte balance, cell integrity, muscle contractions and nerve impulse transmission, that's why it's perfect to have it during or before a workout.

-It is low in calories (only 105 calories per medium banana). It also has very low sodium (only 1 mg per medium banana) and a medium fruit has no fat or cholesterol, so it definetely won't ruin your diet!

-Like most fruits, it is a good source of fiber: it has 3 grams of fiber per medium banana.

-Each large banana has 13.8 mg of Vitamin C, which is 20% of what you need for the day!

-Since it has fiber, it will keep you full for longer.

So next time you feel tired and don't want to workout, have this healthy snack and you'll have enough energy to do it!

Protein Lettuce Wraps

2006-08-01T09:41:00.000-07:00

Protein Lettuce Wraps

Ingredients
-A can (170 grams-6 ounces) of tuna in water
-1/2 large tomato or 1 small tomato, chopped in small pieces
-1/4 red bell pepper, chopped in small pieces
-1/4 onion, chopped in small pieces
-1 small carrot, striped
-1 tablespoon of reduced-calorie mayonnaise
-4 leaves of romaine lettuce

Wash all the vegetables.
Mix the tuna, tomato, onion, red bell pepper, carrot and no-fat mayonnaise in a bowl.
With a spoon, put the mix on the lettuce leaves. Once you've done that, wrap them up. Makes 4 filled lettuce leaves.

Aprox Nutritional Information Per Filled Lettuce Leave
Calories.........................70
Fat................................1.7
Protein.......................10.5
Carbohydrates............4.3

Foods of the Week

2006-07-31T19:16:00.000-07:00

Healthy Food of the Week - TOMATO

What is it?
The tomato is considered by some a vegetable and by some others, a fruit. Either way, it is very common and easy to find. This red vegetable/fruit is used in salads, sauces, side dishes, main dishes, etc. It has an acid taste which most people enjoy.

Why is it good?
This little vegetable/fruit is full of nutrients. It has Vitamin C, Vitamin A, Potassium and Fiber. It is low-calorie (26 calories per medium tomato) and low-fat (less than half a gram of fat per medium-sized tomato). Besides, it tastes awesome!

Choose the right kind
In this case, different kinds of tomato don't show much difference. Canned tomato and tomato sauce are just as nutritious as a fresh tomato. But don't add much unhealthy oils or dressings to it, or it will turn this healthy food into an unhealthy one.

How to eat it
Tomatoes are usually used in salads. You can season it with a tablespoon of olive oil. You can also have it alone, as a side dish, or to go along with pastas, as tomato sauce.

Upcoming Recipe
Check back soon for a recipe that includes tomato: Saucy Vegetable Spaghetti with Fresh Vegetables.

Best Protein Source of the Week - TUNA

What is it?
Tuna is a very common fish in recipes. It is very easy to find in food stores, since it is available in almost all the oceans of the world. You can buy it fresh or canned. If you buy it canned, it will last for a long time, too. Its color is usually pink.

Why is it good?
Tuna is a perfect source of protein, containing 25 grams in 3 ounces. It also is very low-fat (only 1 gram of fat per 3 ounces, and most of it is the healthy kind!) and it has a great taste. It is low in cholesterol and is full of vitamins and minerals (like phosphorus and thiamin). You can also find Omega-3 fatty acids in it, which are proven to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Choose the right kind
Be careful when you choose what kind of tuna you want to eat or you want to incluide in your recipe. As almost every other food out there, there are healthy and unhealthy ways to prepare it. For example, 3 ounces of steamed tuna have only 116 calories and 1 gram of fat, but 3 ounces of breaded and fried tuna have 200 calories and 9.5 grams of fat. It's a big difference! The same with canned tuna: A 6.5 ounces can of tuna in water has 194 calories and 1.4 grams of fat, while a 6.5 ounces can of tuna in oil has 317 calories and 13 grams of fat (and no, it's not the healthy kind). Remember, make wise choices!

How to eat it
You can have it steamed, as a main dish, with rice or vegetables. You can also use it as an ingredient in a salad, or in a tortilla. Tuna and reduced-fat mayonnaise are a perfect match.

Upcoming Recipe
Coming tomorrow, a recipe that includes tuna: Protein Lettuce Wraps.

Best Source of Fiber of the Week - BROWN RICE

What is it?
Rice is an accesible food in most places and is very easy to prepare. Brown rice is by far more nutritious than white rice, because it loses most of its nutrients when it is converted to white rice. It has a stronger, nuttier flavor than the other variety, it is also chewier.

Why is it good?
Brown rice may not be low-calorie (215 calories per cup of cooked rice) but it is definetely worth the calories. It is an excellent source of manganese, selenium and magnesium. It also is a good source of phosphorus, vitamin B-6 and niacin. Besides, it has 3.5 grams of fiber and only 1.7 grams of fat per cup of cooked rice. Due to the fiber, it'll make you feel full for longer.

Choose the right kind
Brown rice, like it has been said before, has many more nutrients than white rice. It is a bit more expensive, but definetely worth the splurge. To add flavor, you can add a tablespoon of parmesan cheese or reduced-fat margarine, but remember, never too much!

How to eat it
You can have it warm with tomato sauce, a tablespoon of olive oil or a tablespoon of reduced-fat margarine as a main-dish. You can have it cold, in a salad, or warm and alone as a side-dish. You can also make yourself a soup... the ideas are endless!

Upcoming recipes
Watch out for the upcoming recipe that features brown rice as the main ingredient, Brown Rice with Vegetables and Chicken.

Boosting Metabolism Tips

2006-07-31T16:32:00.000-07:00

There was a time, when I started losing weight, that I was in a plateau. It was difficult to break it, but I did it (I lost 10 more pounds after that). Why do plateaus happen? Because your metabolism got used to you eating less calories and exercising more. So what you've got to do is boost your metabolism. Here are the tips that worked for me:

-Build muscle. The more muscle you have, the more fat you will burn!
-Change your workout every now and then. When you notice you've stopped losing weight, change your workout (do one cardio exercise instead of another, etc)
-Move around a lot. If you have to be sitting for a long time, make sure you get up and walk around every now and then.
-Prefer protein over carbs and fat. It helps you build muscle. Second best is carbs, but watch your intake.
-Have breakfast! It doesn't have to be many calories, but be sure to have a little something to start you metabolism. When you sleep, your body is switched to “starvation mode”, which means it burns calories more slowly. That’s why you need to jump it start by eating in less than 30 minutes since you woke up. Fiber is a great choice, protein is too. If you are like me and you get sick when you eat breakfast, have something small but please, have breakfast! A suggestion is a piece of whole-wheat bread with low-fat cheese and a cup of green tea.
-Hot foods, like hot peppers, raise your metabolism because they speed up your heart pace. The change isn’t much though.
-Have tons, tons, tons and tons of green tea! Not only it is supposed to boost your metabolism, but it also has many other benefits, like helping eliminate cellulite.
-Drink water, water and more water. The benefits of it are endless! Besides, it’s calorie-free. If you don’t like the taste, try adding fresh lemon or orange juice to it: the calories they add are minimal.
-Sleep at least 8 hours each night. This one is very important! It has been proved that people who sleep less tend to gain more weight. Don’t overdo it though. 8 or 9 hours of sleep are perfect.
-Eat every 4 hours to keep your metabolism going.
-Do tons of cardio. It raises up your heart pace.
-Try to break your workout in parts. If you can, try to do some elliptical (for example) in the morning, and then tae-bo in the night, instead of doing both in the morning. Separating the workout will keep your metabolism going and raise your heart pace twice instead of once, which means, you’ll burn more calories!

I hope you break through this plateau! Consider that you might have hit your healthy weight, so don't keep on losing once you have. Stay healthy!

Link Exchange

2006-07-31T16:12:00.000-07:00

I'm looking for up-to-date health/weight-loss blogs to exchange links with. You can apply by posting a comment in this entry. Please post:

-Your Name
-Your e-mail address
-Your blog URL
-Short description about your blog

I'll e-mail you to let you know if you've been accepted, and I'll add you soon if you have been accepted. Once you receive my e-mail, please add me back.

Basic Fruit Salad

2006-07-31T12:42:00.000-07:00

This fruit salad tastes great and is very easy to do. It is also very healthy and has tons of nutrients you need! And to make things even better, it is increidibly low fat. It really has a mix of flavours, from acid to sweet. You gotta try it!

Basic Fruit Salad

Ingredients
-1 medium banana
-1 medium apple
-1 small pear
-1 small mandarin
-2 kiwis
-2 lemons
-4 large strawberries
-1 teaspoon of artificial sweetener

Start by washing all the fruits. Take the banana's, mandarin's and kiwi's peel off and then throw it away. Chop those three fruits and put them in a large bowl.
Chop the apple, the pear and the strawberries. LEAVE THE PEEL, since just underneath it is where the nutrients are, so if you throw the peel away, you're also throwing the most important nutrients of the fruit. Put them on the same bowl as the banana, the mandarin and the kiwis.
Cut the lemons in four equal parts. Grab a small bowl and squeeze the lemon's juice in it. Then add a teaspoon of your favorite artificial sweetener and mix well.
Pour the sweetened juice in the bowl with the fruit. Mix well and refrigerate. Makes 4 servings.

Aprox. Nutritional Information Per Serving
Calories............109
Fat.................0.6
Protein.............1.3
Carbohydrates.......28
Fiber...............4.6

Food Changes Your Mood

2006-07-31T11:12:00.000-07:00

New studies confirm that food can change your mood. Experts from the Technology Institute of Massachusetts are certain that different kinds of food changes a person's temper. That's why when you're sad, you get sweet cravings, and having ice cream or chocolate makes you feel better. But this is not the only food that causes an effect. The following also change your mood:
-Bread calms your mind, lifts your mood up and makes it easier to sleep.
-Pork, chicken, beef and other protein foods are thought to make your brain more alert.
-Carbs in general help you feel happier.
-Kiwis and bananas are great for when you're tired, moody and sad, since they help you calm down and feel better in general.
Feeling down? Keep checking back for a Fruit Salad recipe that incluides kiwi and banana, that, like it has been mentioned, it lifts your mood up.

First Post

2006-07-31T10:35:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Healthy Tastes Good! My name is Lula. Here you'll find healthy, low-calorie recipes that are easy to make. Every now and then, I'll also post a "Splurge" recipe, that may have more calories and fat, but never over the top, and also some information about health. There are no recipes yet, but there will be soon. I promise they'll be interesting, yummy and fun to do! Check back very soon.